St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-24
A Romantic Incident in the Life Of One
& of the Pioneers Of the /
Great West. A
Told by Well-Known Cattle Dealer to a
Group of Associates in
St. Paul.
Chased Across the Rolling Prairie by
a Reststless Sea of Roar
Ing Flames.
An Adventure of Lifetime That
Terminated Happily--A Prai-
RE Fire.


western cattlemen were grouped together
in the rotunda of the Merchants hotel, dis
cussing on different points of the business
to what per cent the loss for the past winter
would reach, the prospects for the coming
summer, the effect of the interstate COM
MERGE law, etc. The recent prairie fires in
the Northwest. and also those in Kansas,
which caused the loss of life and property
and destroying for this season valuable graz
ing lands were made the topic OF converse
ton. when one of the gentlemen said:
"a prairie fire with a strong wind is ter
rible thing. ! have seen several. but fortu-
nately was never very close to but one. and it
was only by streak of good luckA-or perhaps
Providence--that escaped alive IS
When the group had settled back for the
story, the cattleman told this incident,
which has romance enough in it for the
foundation for a novel:
1T was in 10 or '76 don't remember
which," said the man. II was in partner
ship in the cattle business with man. whose
maine is immaterial, with our rancho in the
Indian Territory, below Medicine Lodge, We
had shipped drove Of cattle to Kansas City,
driving them from the territory to Wichita,
Kan, which was then the terminus CT Il
branch of the Atchison, Topeka Santa Fee
road. The drive to Wichita Was rather dis
astrous to the stock, the grass along the
route being poor and water scarce. On the
way home from Kansas City it was decided
that we should continue on the ~ t53Il &.
MAIN LINE OF THE ROAD
to Hutchinson, from which place would take
horse and ride down to the territory, while
my partner was to go on to Dodge City, and
also take horse for home. The object was
to find a more desirable route on which to
drive our next herd of cattle in order to reach
shipping point. Accordingly, stopped at
Hutchinson, and before going TO bed was in
possession of as fine piece OF horse flesh as
you ever laid your eyes on. The distance
from Hutchinson to Medicine Lodge was
about ninety miles, which could be reached
by hard days ride. b. daylight the next
morning was in the saddle and riding south.
1t will be remembered that at that time Kan
SaS was little settle west of the central por-
ton, especially off tine line or two railroads
running east and west through the state.
Consequently my ride was rather lonely
one, the majority of the living things TO be
seen being prairie dogs. which would
scarlper to their holes OF my approach.
Occasionally i would happen upua dug
out, but throughout the day l did not see Il
solitary house. These dug-outS are strange
looking objects to persons unaccustomed to
them. Usually they are simply u hole dug in
the ground, few poles laid across and prai-
RE grass and dirt thrown over the top. The
only redeeming feature about them is that
they are cyclone proof. Ia some cases hole
Is cut in the side of q hill, but owing to the
nature OF the country, this form OF habitatlon
is scarce. The day had been unusually warm
and had been riding rather slowly, with d
view of pushing on faster when it had become
cooler. A breeze sprang up from the south,
and ave my horse tap TO urge
him on; but not minding the
whip, he started in different
direction than the one which we had been
l~xx,, H,,f
posed this was caused from thirst. The sun
had gone down and the wind was increasing,
bringing with it faint odor Of burning
grass. AS il grew dark could see flicker
Of light at distance, but thought nothing Of
il. 1t was not long, however, before discov-
cred the cause OF the horses uneasiness.
Stretching from the right to the left appar-
emily in semi-circle, was u strenk OF fire,
and / as once realized that was IN a danger
Gus position.
There was no way to escape except TO turn
back, and was 10th to do that. stood still
some time undecided what TO do. 1T would
be foolish to think of trying to break through
this sweeping wall of fire. Turning the
horses head in the direction from which we
came let him have the reinS. He needed no
urging and covered the ground in fine style. L
looked back. and was diSmayed to see that
even as fast as we were going the IRE was
gaining on us. Giving the horse sharp cut
fell, throwing me over his head. He had
stepped into prairie dogs hole and broken
a leg. Seeing that he could go no farther, L
drew my revolver
AND ENDED HIS LIFE.
The fire was now less than a mile from me,
coming before Il terrible wind, the flames
leaping high in the air. By the light | could
see small bill few hundred yards away,
and my only hope was to reach that, perhaps
finding shelter on the opposite side. put
forth my best efforts, but before covering
half the distance could hear the roar. OF the
flames and feel the heat, while the smoke was
suffocating. Making terrible effort kept to
my feet for a few seconds more, and then
consciousness left me. When l awoke
it was morning, and bending over me
was a young woman. Remembering
what had passed through, my first impress
sion was that was dead and in-well, where
we all want to go some time. But 1 soon
found out my mistake. and discovered that ]
was in cave dug in the side of a hill. In
flying from tine fire my last step had brought
me to the door, and, falling, had forced it
open. The young woman was in great dis
tress, and told me that she feared her husband
had been caught in the prairie fire. She told
me her history very briefly, saving that she
was an orphan, had been married but q short
time and came from the East with her hus-
band to make home, Her husband had left
her alone two days before, having gone to the
nearest town, and that she bad expected him
to return the evening before. Hastily eating
what she had prepared, we started in search
of the missing man. The scene was DESC
late one, as far as the eye could reach being q
sea of ashes We had gone n little over & mile
when we found the charred remains of the
woman's husband. l left her watching over
him while hunted up a habtation, and Sc
curing assistance we buried him near where
he died. I hired q man to take me to my
rancho, where found my partner had ar
rived all right. Shortly after that | sold out
and came North, but think shall not for
get that part of the country soon." ,ya,3 f,sit
just as the narrator had ceased speaking, a
bright little boy came running ND to him,
saying: .by
Papa. mamma wants to see YOU"
"But what became of the young woman?''
was asked In unison by the rest of the party
as the gentleman arose.
WELL" said he, with smile, "she has just
sent our boy after me-"